Celebrating their future

First-class cadets Colleen Patton, second from right, of Levittown, N.Y., and her fellow cadets, from left, Josh Surgeon of Portland, Ore., Vincent Knaeble of Temecula, Calif., Matt Martin of Nixa, Mo., blocked from view, and Katie Romas of Silverdale, Wash., celebrate Thursday during Billet Night at Leamy Hall ballroom on the Coast Guard Academy campus in New London. The five cadets just learned that their first assignments as officers will be aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Sherman stationed in San Diego.Dana Jensen/The DayBuy Photo